The Fight
by Deanna Janeway
Summary: Deanna is with somebody else, so naturally Riker is jealous. Please review. T/R


The Fight

His eyes are like fire, and I can feel the heat bearing down on me. His fists are clenched at his sides, and the mood has turned as red as the shirt he proudly wears. Will had never been this angry or upset before. It worried me that it was my fault.

A few minutes earlier, I had stood hand in hand with Warf in the mess hall, and although it wasn't love, I was having a good time on our date, so when he leaned in, I had given him a quick kiss. But my fun didn't last. My happiness vanished. In its place I felt all the emotions in the room. The bliss from Warf, the embarrassment from a few tables over, and the cold, dark hurt that was steadily growing stronger.

I looked over to where it had come from, and there stood Will, in the doorway to the mess hall, a look of pain and grief on his boyish face. He had just seen. Without getting food, he turned and left, his hands swaying stiffly by his sides. The doors to the mess hall slid shut, and an awkward silence filled the room.

I looked at Warf, and an expression of concern spread through his wide face. He looked at me, and then looked back at the entrance to the mess hall. He released my hand, and then thought for a second. "I should go," he said stiffly, and before I could stop him, he walked away, and didn't look back.

That was when I had decided to follow Will, and try to explain. I walked out of the silent room into the hallway, and immediately felt the tension of the encounter leak out of the people remaining in the mess hall.

"Computer?" I asked. "Locate Commander Riker." I felt guilty as I said his name, though I didn't know why. It was as much his fault as mine.

"Commander Riker is in his quarters," The computer spoke back, in a mechanically smooth voice. So I went to his quarters, which brings me to now.

He is full of rage. Rage that I could have _ever _kissed somebody else. Rage towards Warf, which is really misplaced.

He shouts, "How could you do this to me, Deanna?" And pain flickers through his eyes. Just enough so that I could see.

I held my tongue. I had learned through my patients that this was probably the best thing to do.

"What?" He says, clearly annoyed. "And now you won't even talk to me?" His eyes leave my face, and he goes silent. For a second I think he is just trying to calm down, but then he looks up at me, and tears streak his face. He speaks again, softer this time. "I thought what we had was special." He wipes a tear from his face and shouts again. "I thought you loved me!"

_But I do, Imzadi, _I cry through my heart. His pain is my pain, and his hurt is also mine. I look at him sadly, and he lashes out.

"No!" He yells, angry again. "Thinking it isn't good enough!" He wipes his forehead on his sleeve. "I want to hear you say it. _Out loud."_ His face falls, but I can feel his heart rising with hope.

I step closer to him and put my hands firmly on his shoulders. "William Riker." I say sternly, and he looks away. I take a hand off his broad shoulders and push his face towards me. "You look at me when I'm talking to you!" I say it strongly, and he obliges. "I love you!" I pause, and wait for him to say something. When a minute passes and he doesn't, I slap him, my hand tingling, and turn around to leave.

_Imzadi, _he calls, and I stop dead in my tracks. "I love you too." I turn towards him, and he stands defeated.

"Whose fault is this?" I ask him, my counselling skills taking over.

"Mine," he says, looking at his shoes.

"And what have you learned?" I ask, my arms now crossed.

"Not to jump to conclusions…" He looks up at me, and he adds through our bond, _I'm sorry._

"For what?" I say aloud, calmness radiating from my voice.

"That was no way to speak to a lady." He smiles and looks back down at his feet, and I remember why I fell in love with him.

"Aww, Will!" I say, knowing full well that he learned his lesson.

He grabs me in his arms and hugs me, and through our embrace I can feel years of unspoken feelings coursing through our bond.

"I love you, Deanna." He whispers into my ear.

"I love you too, Will." I whisper back. "One more thing, Imzadi." I pause. I can feel him listening, so I continue. "Leave Warf out of this."

He chuckles, and instantly, I know that everything between us is right again.


End file.
